This invention is an improvement upon the disposable garment of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 947,941 in the name of Deborah L. Proxmire, et al., and Stevens U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,172, both assigned to the assignee of the instant application, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference and relied upon.
Disposable garments are generally well known in the art and have become an important and an essentially indispensable sanitary protection item, most particularly in the field of infant and child care where disposable diapers provide for the absorption and containment of urine and other bodily exudates. Present commercially available disposable diapers are generally unitary, preshaped and prefolded, and comprised of a porous facing layer, a fluid impervious backing sheet with an absorbent material disposed therebetween. These presently available disposable diapers have met a particular need and have become ever increasingly popular. However, even though the present available disposable diapers have achieved a certain degree of efficiency and effectiveness, several draw-backs remain that have been identified by mothers of infants wearing the diapers. These mothers have strongly voiced their desire to be able to obtain disposable diapers that are aesthetically neat and attractive when on their infant or child. The aesthetically neat criteria have been identified as including a trim, slim fit, and a neat fitting waist and legs that do not allow leakage of urine or feces. It has also been found that mothers do not want their children looking rumpled, bulky or messy. In addition, these mothers have expressed the desire to either have a disposable diaper that fits more sizes of babies or to have disposable diapers provided in more sizes. Another draw-back identified by these mothers has been the problem associated with skin irritation caused by urine, feces or moisture trapped next to the skin. They have again been very vocal in their desire to obtain disposable diapers that avoid or solve this problem.
A variety of prior diaper constructions have used leg or waist gathers. For example, Mesek, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,245, discloses a gathered or bloused design wherein waterproof extruded elastic film is applied to the waist and leg areas of a film barrier backsheet having an absorbent adhered thereto so that the elastic deforms the absorbent structure; again, such an arrangement represents the current state of disposable diapers on the market. Others include Hrubecky U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,872 showing a rectangular diaper provided with triangular-shaped infolds in the crotch area, Buell U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 wherein the diaper edges are provided with elasticized, flexible flaps along the edge of the absorbent pad in the crotch region and Woon, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,462 wherein the diaper is elasticized only along the edges in the narrowed crotch area to create gross transverse rugosities in the crotch area.
Prior art constructions, such as Pociluyko U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,064, Hokanson, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,590 and Davilla U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,939, have attempted to provide waste containment with a reusable liquid impermeable diaper cover having waterproof pouches, retaining flaps or pockets for freely receiving an absorbent, such as a traditional cloth diaper or disposable absorbent; however, the retaining pouches on these supporting garments occlude the skin, covering the target areas at which urine is excreted. Motomura U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,128, discloses a diaper cover with sections of waterproof, stretchable material in the ears of the cover adjacent the fasteners. Eller U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,105 also discloses an elastic woven diaper cover having elastic retaining straps for holding a pad at the ends thereof. In summary these prior art diaper holders rely upon reuseable treated woven fabrics, many having seams fully integrating other nonstretchable absorbent components between stretchable cover portions, thereby effectively eliminating any stretch properties in the front or rear panels or along the waist and leg openings of the diaper cover. Moreover, there is no recognition of a functional absorbent structure integrated into a stretchable outer cover providing cooperative interactions therebetween to enhance the fit, appearance and containment of the diapering system.
Other approaches have utilized elastic fluid impermeable backing films laminated to an absorbent layer in an attempt to provide enhanced conformability to the body surface, but these films are occlusive to the skin, there is no cooperation of elements elucidated and the integration of the absorbent component restricts the elasticity of the outer cover by the manner in which it is bonded thereto. In this type of construction, the elastic backing film must provide both the barrier function and the fit and conformability functions of the diaper. Such an absorbent dressing is taught by Korpman U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,464.
Daniels, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,646 discloses a reuseable unitary diaper capable of repeated sterilizations in a diaper laundry, comprising elasticized end and side margins and a durable absorbent such as cotton sewn into the crotch area of the waterproof diaper cover, which is a Teflon.RTM. coated polyester or equivalent woven material.
It has been known to attach absorbent pads to diaper holders and/or fasten diapers about wearers by using various fastening arrangements. For example, Rogaty U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,726 uses snaps; Clifford U.S. Pat. No. 2,366,440 uses braces to suspend the diaper pants; and Mann U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,193 uses press studs to mount a diaper in position within a knit holder.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,597,761, 4,496,360 and 4,597,670 all disclose multi-component diapering systems comprising a disposable absorbent capable of attachment to a reusable overgarment. Jones, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,425, which uses a melt-blown elastic border strip, and Draper U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,157 both disclose disposable stretchable panties or shorts unsuitable for use as diapering garments.
Pieniak U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,991 discloses a reticulated elastic member secured between the facing and film backing sheets of a diaper. Wideman U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,964 discloses a pleated web bonded to an elastomeric film, however, breathability is not simultaneously imparted to the composite by the bonding process. Various non-elastomeric films require stretching to impart porosity therein. Ness U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,407 discloses a laminate rendered elastic by stretching.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,790 discloses a pre-shaped, three-dimensionally formed absorbent article which assumes the contours of a wearer.
Hence, present commercially available disposable diapers utilizing stretchable backsheets functioning both as the pad holder and liquid barrier have inadequately recognized the associated problems of a unitary construction. Prior art reuseable diaper holders for holding a pad do not address the many substantial interactive concerns presented by a separate absorbent insert, stretchable outer cover and a fastening system.